Effects of protraction of the alpha dose to the lungs of mice by repeated inhalation exposure to aerosols of /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Radiat. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3576980· OSTI ID:6017869

Lundgren, D L; Gillett, N A; Hahn, F F; Griffith, W C; McClellan, R O

To determine the long-term biological effects of protracted alpha irradiation of the lung, 84-day-old C57BL/6J mice were repeatedly exposed by inhalation to aerosols of /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ every other month for up to six exposures in 10 months to reestablish lung burdens of 20, 90, or 460 Bq. Other mice were exposed only once when either 84 or 460 days of age to achieve desired initial lung burdens of 20, 90, 460, or 2300 Bq. Suitable control groups were maintained. Groups of mice with similar cumulative alpha doses to the lung had 3.4 to 4.4 times greater incidence of pulmonary tumors (adenomas and adenocarcinomas) when the dose to the lung was protracted by the repeated inhalation exposures compared to mice that received a single inhalation exposure. Excess pulmonary tumors per unit dose to the lung were also greater in groups of repeatedly exposed mice compared to those exposed only once. Repeatedly exposed mice also died earlier with pulmonary tumors than did those exposed once. It appears that protraction of an alpha dose to lungs increases the carcinogenic risk of inhaled /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ in mice.

• Research Organization: Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM
• OSTI ID: 6017869
• Journal Information: Radiat. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Radiat. Res.; (United States) Vol. 111:2; ISSN RAREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560162* -- Radionuclide Effects
Kinetics
& Toxicology-- Animals
Plants
Microorganisms
& Cells
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ACUTE EXPOSURE
ACUTE IRRADIATION
AEROSOLS
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ALPHA PARTICLES
ANIMALS
BODY
CARCINOGENESIS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXPERIMENTAL NEOPLASMS
FRACTIONATED IRRADIATION
HEAVY NUCLEI
INHALATION
INTAKE
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
LUNGS
MAMMALS
MICE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PLUTONIUM 239
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE KINETICS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SOLS
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES